random and sometimes coherent

Road Trip

Last week we were able to take a few folks from the church to the Unleash conference at Newspring Church in Anderson, SC. Unleash was great and much could be said about it.

One of the great outcomes of a trip like that is the time spent together as a group. Nine of us were in a van together for 20+ over three days. We drove down on Wednesday, the conference was Thursday, and we drove home on Friday. Memories were made. Experiences shared. Relationships grown. Even if the conference itself had been mediocre, the trip would have been worth it. The fact that Unleash was so wonderful just makes it all the better.

It is very easy to focus on events, programs, and agendas and loose sight of the people who are a part of it. Most of the time, the journey is more valuable than the destination. The process lasts longer than the event. The people impact outweighs the other accomplishments.

Our purpose in life greatly involves others. Yes, the first purpose is to glorify God. As we move out from that in definition of specific purpose and how we live out that purpose, we see that it is about each other. It’s about people. Church isn’t a building or an event on Sunday. Church is people living life together for the glory of God. Church is a place to build and grow relationships.

This road trip of life is much better enjoyed when we include others in the journey. Let’s not try to shorten the trip. Let’s enjoy the ride.